The Blaugrana are nine points clear going into Sunday's Clasico at Camp Nou, meaning victory would all but secure top spot
It wasn't supposed to look like this. Barcelona were supposed to just about keep pace with Real Madrid this year. But they weren't supposed to win La Liga.
That they would be nine points clear in March – and show few signs of slowing down – was unthinkable.
Yet here they are. Barca are far and away the best team in La Liga this year, clearing every hurdle as they sprint towards a first La Liga title in four years.
And matched up against a Madrid side coming off a domestic-European double, with perhaps another Champions League to come, such a successful season is undeniably impressive.
But this hasn't exactly come out of nowhere. Barcelona are not good by chance.
Indeed, they have all the pieces of a league-winning team, with just enough edge to presumably fight off any late charge from Los Blancos.
Victory this weekend, in fact, would effectively signal the end of the title race.
Below, GOAL takes a look at why Barcelona are so far ahead of Madrid with just 13 games to go…
(C)Getty ImagesLewandowski!
It makes sense: if your team is not scoring enough goals, you should probably find someone who can score goals.
It's even more helpful when your goalscorer is one of the most prolific strikers in recent memory.
Lewandowski has been everything Barcelona could have hoped for.
Last season, they relied on a mixture of Memphis Depay, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres for attacking production. The result was a team that couldn't find the back of the net consistently enough.
And now, with Lewandowski in the middle, they have a prolific goalscorer for the first time since Luis Suarez left three years ago.
The Poland striker has 15 Liga goals and five assists, and is on track to win the golden boot despite missing a handful of games due to suspension and injuries.
There is perhaps also something to be said for having a perennial winner in your ranks. Lewandowski has won a league title every year since 2015. If anyone knows what it takes to stay in the mix for 38 games, it's him.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesGoals from all over
Lewandowski isn't the only one finding the net.
It's not just the fact that Barcelona are scoring more: it's where the goals are coming from. Thirteen different players have found the net for the Blaugrana this year, the fifth-highest number of goalscorers in the league. Six squad members have also scored more than five goals, while 12 players have multiple assists.
For so long, Barcelona relied on the genius of individuals, turning to Messi, Suarez or Neymar to find the net. And when those three left, albeit at different stages, it didn't look like the club knew where to turn.
This year, though, everyone is getting involved. When Lewandowski was out, Ousmane Dembele stepped up. When Dembele picked up an injury, Raphinha took over. Meanwhile, Gavi and Pedri have supplied a steady trickle of goals themselves.
Those additional goalscorers, that seemingly random production, is what pushes a team to the top. Barcelona, quite simply, have always been able to find the net – regardless of who's on the pitch.
Getty ImagesA nifty midfield
At the start of the season, Frenkie de Jong wasn't supposed to be a Barca player. Sergio Busquets, meanwhile, was too old. Gavi was too hot-headed. And Pedri, although class, was injured too often.
So, Barcelona dipped into the transfer market for some midfield help but while Franck Kessie looked like a shrewd signing, it didn't exactly inspire confidence.
However, Xavi, who knows a thing or two about a balanced midfield, has managed to piece together his unit perfectly.
It all started working in January, when the manager broke out a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing four central-midfielders in a seemingly unbalanced system. But he got his tactics spot on, and seemed to get the most out of his four best options.
And when any of that unit have gone down with injuries, either Kessie or Sergi Roberto have stepped in with relative ease.
It's not yet a flawless formation, but Barcelona have crucial solidity in the centre of the park. It's given them valuable control over their contests, setting up win after win.
Getty ImagesAn imperious defence
A cursory glance at Barcelona's back four before the season didn't exactly suggest that Xavi's side would have the best defensive record in Europe.
There were question marks all over, from Ronald Araujo's fitness to Jordi Alba's aging legs. A poor 2021-22 campaign from usual stalwart Marc-Andre ter Stegen also suggested that it could be a rough year.
Instead, Barcelona have pieced together the best domestic defensive season on the continent. The Blaugrana have only let in eight goals in La Liga, almost half of which came in one game against Real Madrid.
Ter Stegen has kept 19 clean sheets in 25 matches, while free-signing Andreas Christensen has been a revelation. It must also be noted that allowing Gerard Pique to walk has buoyed the Blaugrana by subtraction.
But it's not just individual quality that has carried Barca this far.
The Blaugrana have the highest possession stats in the league, and Busquets playing in a deeper role has made them less susceptible to counter-attacks than they were last year.
The more energetic, and younger, Alejandro Balde has also given Barca a defensive lift on the left flank.
Put it all together, and it makes sense that Barca are so solid.